Story highlights

Armel Le Cleac'h wins in record 74 days

Alex Thomson second in Vendee Globe

Shirley Robertson is a two-time Olympic sailing champion and host of CNN's Mainsail. She reflects on the Vendee Globe, a grueling sailing race that was won Thursday by Frenchman Armel Le Cleac'h after more than 70 days at sea. You can learn more about the race in February's edition of Mainsail.

Les Sables d'Olonne (CNN)Some call the Vendee Globe the "Everest of the seas," and while it's a rather lazy comparison, it's hard to argue against.

Circumnavigating the planet, alone for 25,000 miles, non-stop -- that would be a long way in a plane, let alone on a boat.